Chicago's Palmer House Chocolate Fudge Brownie

"The brownie was invented in Chicago in 1893 by the chef of the Palmer House Hotel at the request of Mrs. Bertha Palmer. The ladies attending the Columbian Exposition needed something they could eat with their hands without getting them dirty, making this great for the Superball game. The first reference to this dessert as a "Brownie" is in a Sears Roebuck catalog published in Chicago in 1898. This recipe is still served today at the Palmer House Hilton on State Street and is one of their most popular confections."

Special Ingredient:

  electric mixer

  double boiler or large metal bowl over pot of boiling water

  8x8x2 baking pan
  pastry brush

  toothpick

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted sweet butter

9 oz semi-sweet chocolate

1 cup cake flour

1 cup & 6 tbsp granulated sugar

2 whole eggs

1 tsp baking powder

2 cups walnuts- crushed
¼ tsp salt

Glaze

½ cup water

½ cup apricot preserves

½ tsp unflavored gelatin

Glaze Directions:

1. Mix together the apricot preserves, the unflavored gelatin, and the water in a saucepan
2. Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil for 2 minutes
3. Use while hot.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Butter baking pan along bottom and sides. Lightly dust interior with cake flour.
2. Melt the chocolate with the butter in a double boiler and mix thoroughly. If you do not have a double boiler, use a large metal bowl set over a pot of boiling hot water.
3. Set bowl of chocolate mixture onto a flat surface. Put a lightly damp folded towel under the bowl to keep it steady. Set aside to cool until lukewarm.
4. In a separate bowl, use mixer to beat sugar and eggs until well blended. Whisk egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt into mixture. Fold to blend.
5. Pour the mixture baking pan and sprinkle the walnuts on top.
6. Press the walnuts down slightly into mixture.
7. Bake for 45 minutes. Test doneness by sticking a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out just slightly with moist cake batter, then it is done.
8. After removing from the oven, allow to cool about 30 minute.
9. Spread layer of  glaze onto surface with a pastry brush.
10. Serve chilled.